Other Plans
by The Green Archer
Summary: Henry and Eleanor Tilney's impressions of seeing Catherine riding off with the Thorpes in Chapter 11 of Northanger Abbey. Written for an extra-credit class assignment.


At half past twelve, following an unexpected morning rain shower, Mr. Tilney and Eleanor left Northanger Abbey to meet with Catherine Morland for their arranged walk of the Bath countryside. Henry had a restive air about him noticeable only to a sister who had lived with him for most of her youth, but for fear of being overheard by their father, did not speak of it until they had departed the gates of the estate towards the Allens' home.

"You seem quite flustered, dear Henry," she said. "Surely you cannot be worried about us meeting with Miss Morland today. You spoke so highly of her at the dance yesterday, I cannot imagine what is leaving you in tenders about seeing her this afternoon."

"Absolutely nothing, dear sister," Mr. Tilney replied. "Though I will confess to being distracted, such thoughts are merely been the product of the gentleman who so rudely interrupted us at the pump-room yesterday. That Mr. Thorpe has had his sights on Miss Morland for quite some time and I daresay will become an offensive influence to her unless we are to spend more time with the young lady."

"You seem to think Mr. Thorpe has taken a fancy to Catherine," Ms. Tilney observed. "Does that bother you, Henry?"

"Certainly not, Eleanor! I simply find it unjust that a young woman, unfamiliar with the ways of urban life, should only spend company with a man both superficial in speech and character. She deserves to be educated in everything Bath has to offer her. Do you not agree, sister?"

"I suppose I do," Eleanor replied. But subconsciously, the young lady believed her brother meant to say otherwise. Eleanor already suspected Catherine of having feelings for her brother, and was beginning to gather from these protective outbursts of his, that he was beginning to feel the same way. She had no reason to disagree to such an arrangement however. She enjoyed Catherine's company immensely as she was one of the few girls in Bath with whom she could openly discuss her love of reading books with. She looked forward to her walk with her today and continued to carry this bright optimism as they entered Argyle street.

They did not walk long however, when they came across a startling sight: a carriage passing by the opposite direction they were walking, carrying none other than John and Isabella Thorpe, James Morland and Catherine! Upon meeting eyes with Mr. Tilney, Catherine turned as white as a sheet. She turned to the driver's seat and spoke some earnest words to Mr. Thorpe, who gave the couple a disdainful look before riding at a brisker trot until they were all away to the Market-place. Mr. Tilney looked on in both anger and devastation.

"Dear sister. Did my eyes deceive me, or I just see Ms. Morland riding in that carriage with Mr. Thorpe?"

"It seems that Catherine has made other plans for the afternoon," Eleanor replied, equally as abashed.

"I see. So today she goes to Bristol, tomorrow she'll go to Chippenham, after that Horfield?"

"Oh no, brother!" Eleanor exclaimed. "I'm sure it was a misunderstanding. We did leave behind schedule. Perhaps Isabella persuaded her to go with them? They are good friends, aren't they?"

"A good friend who has left her with no decency to tell _us _that she had made other plans with her and her Mr. Thorpe," Mr. Tilney replied disdainfully. "Well, I suppose there is no reason to go to the Allens' now. Come sister, let us return home."

Had Mr. Tilney's thoughts not been incensed by the sight of Catherine and John sitting together in the carriage, he would have been able to rationalize that the terror on Ms. Morland's face was not at the horror of being caught, but at realizing she'd been tricked. She was not asking Mr. Thorpe to hasten their speed, but to stop so that she may speak with them. But that encounter at the ball had prompted an uncharacteristic anxiety in the young gentleman and for the first time he was beginning to fear that Catherine, his shining star of Bath may soon be lost to that horrible Thorpe man forever in marriage. He imagined himself spending the rest of his evenings alone in the pump-room no longer able to indulge in Ms. Morland's company as she became lost in the lustreless fray of skirts and painted faces of women that had come before her. And all for completely ridiculous reasons! Catherine was still a child with a great deal of things to learn about the world. She far too young to be lost to the materialistic fancies that the Thorpes were so readily engaged in.

It was these sentiments, as well as several other contemptuous thoughts about Mr. Thorpe that continued to rattle Mr. Tilney as he returned to the Abbey. Only in thinking in such a manner did he come to realize that his affections for Ms. Morland were greater than he anticipated and that his sister's suspicions on his feelings for her were in fact becoming a truth.


End file.
